Running board light for automobiles



July 24, 195.1 P. M. sHooK 2,551,755

RUNNING BOARD! LIGHT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed oct. v, 1949 gime/WDM Patented July 24, 1951 r UNITED STATES N-PATI--HvT OFFICE 2,561,756 A w RUNNINGBOARD LIGHTFoR AUTOMOBILES 4 1 Paul M. shook, Greeitxyn", ohio g Applicatien october 7, 1949,:s'eia1 Nando@ Y My invention relates to a running board light for automobiles and thelike.

An important obj ect of my invention is to provide a running board light which will illuminate substantially the entire length of the running board of an automobile, by utilizing the light` of one small light bulb.

A further object is to provide a running board light which will emit a soft non-glaring light, and not a glaring or harsh light.

A further object is to provide a running board light,rthe principal parts thereof being protected beneath the usual scuff `plate of the running board. I

A further object is to provide a running board light which will glow whenever the door of the automobile is opened, and which will be extinguished when the door is closed.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an automobile running board light which is The .running board i3 is provided with the usual sheetnfletal.scuri` plate I5 which extends -tor,substantially the entire length and width4 of thegrunningnboard. The scuff 1plate I5 comprises an 'elongated generally flat rectangular plate or ,body .portion I6, `which may be corrugated or liutedas at Il to keep the `feet from slipping. at its outerlongitudinal edge, the scui plate `has a short depending longitudinal flange IB which engages-a vertical longitudinal ridge or shoulder I9foi the vrunning board. The 'scui plate I5 may ,be `rigidly secured inA place upon the running board by screws 2G, or the like. Near and invwardly uof the rearlongitudinal edge of the scuff highly simplified, compact, durable and quite inl.

expensive 'to build into the automobile.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, t

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly diagrammatic, showing electrical and illuminating Velements of a running board light embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is :a fragmentary `perspective view of an automobile running board equipped with the light embodying the invention, .p

Figure .3 is a bottom plan view of a scuff plate and illuminating elements,

Figure 4 is .a top plan view of the same,

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical `section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4, I

Figure 6 is a similar section taken on line B-l of Figure 4,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section taken on line 1-7 of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 8-8 of Figure 3.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral I8 designates generally one side of an automobile body having a door I I, the bottom edge l2 of which is adapted to close over the usual concealed running board I3. The door II is hingedly connected to the body adjacent tothe usual generally vertical `door post I4, as shown. A l I tubular sin 21| is a pair plate I5, the same` is formed to provide an upstanding inverted U-shaped longitudinal rib 2| or `tubular sill, forming a continuous horizontal longitudinal passage 22., extending for the entire length of the scuri" plate. .Rearwardly of the tubularsill 2|, the scuif ,plate includes a narrow flat longitudinal extension or iiange 23, integral therewith and disposed atthe same elevation as the ,body portion I8, and adapted to engage the top oftherunning boardIS. Formed in the forward sideof the tubular sill 2l are a pair oi longitudinal straight elongated slots. 24, spaced apart at their inner ends, adjacent to the longitudinal `centeroi the jscutf plate, and extending for substantially the shown.

'Arranged within the entire length of the scuff plate, as

passage 22 formedby the of elongated longitudinally arranged straight cylindrical rods 25 of Lucite, or like light transmitting plastics material. The rods 25 extend for substantially the entire length of the scuffplate and running board andhave their inner ends `26 spaced apart adjacent to the longitudinal center of the scuiT plate and betweenthe inner ends of the slots 24. The rods 25 have their outer ends rigidly secured in place within the passage 22 by means of cable type clips "21, secured to the bottom of the body portion I6 `by screws 28 or the like. The inner ends of the rfods'25 engage within the oppositeends of a center Wide cable type clip 29, arranged at the 2 longitudinal center of the scuf plate l5 and The ` with large vertically aligned openings 3| and 32,

for a purpose to be described. The tops of the clips 21 and 29 project into the passage 22 for positioning the rods 25 therein, and the rods are heldbodly above the level of the body portion I. 6,as.show n, sothatthescui ,plate I5 .maylieA type switch 36 is mounted upon the door post I4 to be actuatedv by the opening and closing of lthe3 door l l. One terminal 31 of the switch 36 is connected by a wire 38 to one terminal 39 of the light bulb 33. The other terminal 40 of the light bulb is connected by a wire 4l to the other terminal 42 of the switch 36. connected in the storage battery circuit of the automobile, as shown in Figure 1. Whenever the door Il is closed, the switch 36 is open and -the circuit through the light bulb is broken, so that the bulb will not glow. When the door Il is open the switch 33 is closed for closing the circuit The wire 38 is inner opposed ends of the rods being spaced apart longitudinally, clips engaging the outer ends of the rods for holding the same stationary and secured to the bottom of the wear resistant plate, a common center clip engaging the inner opposed ends of the rods for holding Vthe Ysame `stationary and secured to the bottom of the wear resistant plate, the common center clip being provided in its bottom with an opening, and a light bulb mounted upon the running board and projecting above the same and arranged adjacent to the common center clip, the light bulb projecting through the opening in the bottom of the center clip and into said casing between the inner ends of the rods.

, 2. A running board illuminating unit com- Vprising a generally iiat wear resistant plate I mounted upon vthe running board and extendthrough kthe light bulb which will then glow.

' sill 2 I, the running board will be illuminated forwardly of the sill 2l. Y l

A removable cap or grommet 43 is positioned in the top opening 3l of the clip 29 and is removable through an opening 44 formed at the longi-A tudinal center of the tubular sill 2l. The grommet 43 is removed when it is desired to change or replace the light bulb 33, without necessitating the lifting of the entire scuff plate I5. A readily Y removableclip or cover 45 is mounted upon the scuri" plate adjacent to the opening 44 for covering this opening. The clip 45 is held inplace` by a screw 45, and the clip 45 includes a rear flange 4l which engages below the rear longi- *l* tudinal flange 23.

The running board will be illuminated from any angle, because the light emitting through the slots 24 will play over substantially the entire y i running board. However, passengers entering the vehicle will be looking directly at the glowing Lucite bars 25, and these elements will clearly `dei-lne the step which must be taken when entering the automobile. The device thus forms an important safety feature.

It is to be understood that'the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and

that various changes in shape, size and arrange- 1.

ment of parts may be resorted to, without departing from th-e spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A running board illuminating unit compris` upon the running board and extending through-S out a substantial portion of the length of the same, the plate having a raised portion forming an elongated substantially straight casing extending throughout the major portion of the ing throughout a substantial portion of thelength 'of` the same, the plate having a raised portion forming an elongated substantially straight casing extending throughout the major portion of the length of the plate and having longitudinal slots formed therein for emitting light, a pair of substantially straight elongated light transmitting rods arranged within the casing in end to end opposed relation and extending throughout substantially the entire length of the casing, the inner opposed ends of the rods being spaced apart longitudinally, clips engaging the outer ends of the rods for holding the saine stationary and secured to the bottom of the wear resistant plate, a common center clip engaging the inner opposed ends of the rods for holding the same stationarr and secured to the bottom of the wear resistant plate, the common center clip being provided in its top and bottom with aligned openings, a light bulb mounted upon the running board and projecting above the same adjacent to the common center clip, the light bulb projecting through the opening in the bottom of said center clip and into said casing between the inner ends of the rods', and a removable cover for the opening in the Atop of the center clip to prevent the passage of light through such opening, the light bulb being removable through thelast-named opening when said cover is removed. Y

3.' A running board illuminating unit compris- I ing a generally iiat wear resistant plate mounted upon the running board and extending throughouta substantial portion of the length of the same, the plate having a raised portion forming an elongated substantially straight casing extending throughout the major portion of the length of the plate and having longitudinal slots formed therein for emitting light, a pair of substantially straight elongated light transmitting rods arranged within the casing in end to end opposed relation and extending throughout substantially the entire length of the casing, the inner opposed ends of the rods being spaced apart longitudinally, clips engaging the outer ends of the rods for holding the same stationary, said ing a generally flat wear resistant plate mounted clips having holding Portions Sufroundng the rods and ydisposed within the casing and flat transverse extensions projecting between the running board and plate and secured to the bottom of the plate, a common center clip engaging the inner opposed ends of the rods for holding the same stationary, said common center clip having a holding portion surrounding the rods and disposed within the casing and lattransverse extensions projecting 4between the running .board and plate and secured to the bottom of the plate,

the common center clip being provided in its bot- 5 6 n tom with an opening, and a light Ibulb mounted UNITED STATES PATENTS upon the running board and projecting above the Number Name Date same and arranged adjacent to the common cen- 1,439,210 Webster Dec. 19J 1922 ter clip, the light bulb projecting through the 1 739,954 Du Pont Dec 1.1, 1929 opening in the bottom of the center clip and into 5 2081 899 Bridge June 1 1937 said casing between the inner ends of the rods. 2207117 Collins July 9 1940 PAUL M' SHOCK' 2,214,447 Bave sept. 10,1940 REFERENCES CITED 2,247,969 Stewart July 1, 1941 2,452,294 Dickson Oct. 26, 1948 The following references are of record in the l0 file of this patent: 

